Overview
Epic poetry and tragic drama provide us with some of the richest ancient Greek depictions of women who are married to soldiers. In tales of the Trojan War, as told by Homer, Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides, we encounter these mythical warriors' wives: Penelope, isolated but resourceful as she awaits the return of Odysseus after his lengthy absence; the war widow Andromache, enslaved and displaced from her homeland after the fall of Troy; the unfaithful and murderous Clytemnestra; and Tecmessa, a war captive who witnesses her partner's breakdown and suicide in the aftermath of battle. Warriors' Wives compares the experiences of these mythical characters with those of contemporary military spouses. Emma Bridges traces aspects of the lives of warriors' wives--mythical and real, ancient and modern--from the moment of farewell, through periods of separation and reunion, to the often traumatic aftermath of war, to consider the emotional, psychological, and social impacts of life as a military spouse. By unearthing a wealth of contemporary evidence for the lives of the often silenced and unacknowledged partners of those who serve in the military, and by examining this alongside the ancient stories of warriors' wives, Warriors' Wives sheds fresh light on the experience of being married to the military.
Full Product Details
Author: Dr Emma Bridges (The Open University)
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Imprint: Oxford University Press
Dimensions:
Width: 14.00cm
, Height: 2.00cm
, Length: 22.30cm
Weight: 0.424kg
ISBN: 9780198843528
ISBN 10: 0198843526
Pages: 256
Publication Date: 21 September 2023
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Professional & Vocational
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: To order
Stock availability from the supplier is unknown. We will order it for you and ship this item to you once it is received by us.
Reviews
Emma Bridges has written a book that that very few could execute with equivalent skill... Warriors' Wives is immensely readable, unencumbered by excessive footnotes or jargon, rife with poignant analysis and observations on the ancient texts... Bridges has succeeded in giving even the most seasoned Classicist new reasons to appreciate the true timelessness and complexity of the human experience as captured by epic poets and tragedians; she does so by bringing the female experience to the forefront in a powerful and compelling way. Warriors' Wives is beautifully edited, with few mistakes. It is a compelling and moving study that would be valuable reading in any course on the military experience, ancient or modern. * Jenn Finn, Bryn Mawr Classical Review *
Author Information
Emma Bridges was educated at a comprehensive school and state sixth-form college in North East England before studying Classics at the Universities of Oxford and Durham. She is now a Senior Lecturer and Staff Tutor in Classical Studies at The Open University, UK.
